


What Heaven Looks Like

by etoilecourageuse



Category: The Mummy Returns (2001), The Mummy Series
Genre: Canon Temporary Character Death, F/M, Family, Fluff and Angst, Post-Canon, Resurrection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-06-03 08:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6603451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etoilecourageuse/pseuds/etoilecourageuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick refuses to listen to her tales of Heaven, and Evie will not force them upon him – all too well she remembers the look upon his face as he watched her fall.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Heaven Looks Like

**Author's Note:**

  * For [littlehuntress](https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlehuntress/gifts).



> Happy ShipSwap! I really hope that you like this - I have so many feels for Evie and Rick, it's not even funny anymore, and I've actually thought about what happened after they escaped from the pyramid for quite a while...

Evelyn O’Connell had never believed that it could be quite so liberating to be at home (oddly enough, it was England and not Egypt that she had begun to consider her home, despite the many initial protests that had followed her husband’s mentions of noticing the changes she had seemingly gone through without realising), that she would once step through the gates of her own property and feel nothing but pure happiness, pure relief. To sleep within her own bed, Rick by her side, holding her tight within his arms, and Alex safe in his room only a door away, to browse through her own library, each book so familiar to her… It was strangely soothing after what had happened to them, yet not necessarily safer than one of their many expeditions – as she had learned the hard way. 

At times she would still find herself smiling in blissful surprise at the thought of home, the thought of her family (Jonathan had been all she’d had for as far as she could remember and it had taken her longer than expected to grow familiar with her new life after marrying Rick in much more of a spur-of-the-moment decision than she would have liked), would laugh quietly at herself and look back at her life so far with nothing but pride. Evie had found her place at last, and it was not amongst her books, as she had initially assumed; it was not in Egypt, losing herself within the culture or all the adventures, no matter how much she adored them; it was with Rick, and with Alex. It was with her family. Never, not for a moment, not for a second, had she regretted having accepted his proposal, never would she even dare to think of what would have become to her, had she… No Mummies would ever take away from her what she loved so dearly, whom she would protect with her life and even more, no one, nothing, would be capable of tearing them apart… They had proved more than once that together they would overcome anything, everything, even Death. 

Death… Evie had never been afraid of dying, not before Anck-Su-Namun’s dagger had penetrated her stomach and perhaps even less after, had always imagined it to be quite easy (as this had been what her brother had told her, desperately overwhelmed in his attempt to calm her grief and silence her inquiries about their mother) and was proved to be right as truly she had made the transition… It had been beautiful where she’d gone and yet… Yet, how could she possibly have stayed? How could she possibly have abandoned her husband, how could she possibly have abandoned her son when she knew so very well that they needed her, that she needed them? She had never been afraid of dying, but now? To go now? No… Heaven was not Heaven without her family, would not be the same if she were apart from them, if she knew that they were suffering… It was too soon. 

Rick had not wanted to hear about her experience, had refused to listen to her tales of Heaven, and Evie would not force them upon him – all too well she remembered the look upon his face as she had fallen, the tears within his eyes and his words… He had begged her, had begged her to come back, to return to him, and how desperate she had been to follow… But it had seemed impossible as she had drifted from this life further and further with every second, as she had faded and nearly left him behind… 

But she hadn’t. Evie had not left him behind, had not left them behind, as her son had saved her, Alex, who was so much like her husband, so much like Rick… She had not left, had caught a glimpse of Heaven but not left, had returned to where she truly belonged, ensured that her family, too, was safe… And they were. Once more they had escaped, once more they had defeated Imhotep and this time banished him for good; once more they had been victorious. 

How she had longed for home then, how she had longed for her living room, her bed, her books… How she had longed for home as she had found herself lying within Rick’s arms, never willing to let go, never willing to cease to touch him, to turn away from him… 

And they had returned. They all had returned to their home the same night, long after darkness had fallen, the weariness written upon their faces as they stepped into the entrance hall, heavily breathing from exhaustion. Even Alex, usually so full of energy, could scarcely keep his eyes open despite his efforts, and soon after Evie had kissed him good night, nearly trembling with relief to see him lying there within his own bed, so peaceful as though nothing had happened, she, too, found herself preparing for sleep, only releasing her husband’s hand when it seemed absolutely necessary. 

Sleep… How she longed for sleep… But it would not come to her easily as she could not help but watch, watch Rick as he slowly faded, his quiet snores echoing within the room. She could not help but watch, imagine what it would be like without him, without her sweet husband, what she would do if he had… She had almost lost him, too, as the pyramid had begun to collapse, had almost been forced to… 

Evie dared not finish her thought, absently touched her belly where her wound had been, could still feel a slight tingling sensation, shivered as once more she remembered her husband’s horror-stricken face as he had been so close to lose his strength, and to fall into the abyss… 

She sighed then, gave a deep, quiet sigh, quickly shaking her head. No. It would not do to dwell on what would have been, would not do to imagine the worst when in truth they were safe, when they all were together, alive, well, and safe. Wasn’t it an abomination? Wasn’t it an abomination even to consider the worst when she found her husband so close beside her, her son, her brother asleep in the same house, all of them safe? When she, too, was alive? They were safe. Safe… Even she was safe. Even she had returned to this world, through Alex. Even she… 

Again she sighed, smiled at last as still she watched over her husband’s sleep, as slowly she reached out her hand to touch him, to feel him… Safe. They were safe. 

“Rick…” she murmured into his ear, speaking before she realised what she was doing, that she was about to wake him, absently caressing his cheek, receiving a quiet moan in response. 

“Stop it, Evie, I told you I don’t snore…”

“It’s not that. I just…” 

“You didn’t have another one of those dreams, did you?” 

All of a sudden, his voice had lost any weariness; within only seconds Rick seemed to have emerged from sleep fully, wide awake now as he raised his head, looking at her in both horror and a strange form of excitement.

Evie could not help but laugh, shaking her head once more as she gently placed a kiss upon the tip of his nose, wrapping her arms even closer about his body. Already she seemed to have forgotten about the terrors that had haunted her mere moments before as through the sound of his voice alone she felt safe… 

“No more dreams,” she promised, certain that she could see disappointment flashing up within his eyes. “At least that is what I hope. I’m just so glad we’re home…”

Rick chuckled, too, slowly lowering himself back onto the pillows. “And here I thought you’d drag me out on another adventure as soon as we unpacked. You disappoint me, darling.”

“I think I’ve had my fair share of adventures for a while,” Evie responded casually, frowning briefly. “The Mummies can wait for another month or two. Or a lifetime – let someone else have a turn; I certainly won’t miss them.”

“You’ll be bored after a week.”

“No, I won’t! There are enough things to do here… Perhaps I’ll write a book – I’ve always wanted to write a book… How would you like it if your wife became a bestselling author?”

She could see her husband open his mouth in order to respond but did not give him a chance even to draw breath as she kissed him, looking so deeply into his eyes as she kissed him, tenderly and yet so full of passion, as she held him, running her fingers through his hair… 

“This is it, Rick,” she whispered, quickly blinking away a single tear from her eye that had almost begun to fall. “This is what Heaven looks like…” 

And it was. As long as she was with him, with her Rick, Evie knew that she would overcome anything, as long as she was with him, as long as she knew her family safe, happy, she would always find Heaven on this earth, would always find it within her heart.


End file.
